Powder Inhaler Vortex Deagglomerator and Protective Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder inhalers face issues with unintentional dosing, inefficient pulverization of medicament, and retention of particles in the upper respiratory tract, leading to suboptimal delivery of medication to the lungs.
Innovation Solution
A powder inhaler design featuring a metering member with a dosing recess that moves between filling and inhalation positions, incorporating a protective member to prevent accidental dosing and a deagglomerator arrangement with a tangentially directed air flow in a vortex chamber to enhance pulverization, allowing for precise and effective delivery of powdered medicament.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotating metering member with dosing recesses is used to dispense powdered medicament, then the medicament can be delivered to the user, but particles may fall onto the slide surface between the metering member and chamber, disturbing or obstructing rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful factor (loose powder particles) from the system by providing a collection chamber positioned below the slide surface that captures and contains particles before they can fall onto and obstruct the rotation mechanism. This separates the harmful particle collection function from the rotation function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary structure (the collection chamber with opening in the slide surface) between the metering member and the rotation mechanism. This intermediary captures particles that would otherwise directly interfere with rotation, mediating the interaction between powder handling and mechanical rotation.
2Volume of moving object
If the distance from filling position to inhalation position is less than 90° of a circle arc to enable compact design, then the device size is reduced, but particles will inevitably fall onto the slide surface and obstruct rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful particles from the rotation path by providing a collection chamber that captures particles before they can obstruct the rotation mechanism, allowing the use of a compact less-than-90° arc design without sacrificing rotation reliability.
3Ease of operation
If vigorous shaking or tapping is applied to clear jammed powder, then the jamming is temporarily relieved, but more powder flows into the gap between chamber and metering member, increasing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of shaken loose powder into a beneficial outcome by providing a collection chamber that captures the shaken particles and directs them into the collection space rather than allowing them to fall onto the rotation mechanism. The harmful shaking that would normally worsen jamming is instead used to clear particles into the collection chamber.
4Reliability
If a protective member is added to prevent accidental dosing, then overdosing is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective member is designed to be automatically actuated by the user's own inhalation action. The inhalation activates the protective member to open and allow medicament delivery, then automatically returns it to the closed protective position afterward. This self-service mechanism prevents overdosing without requiring additional manual controls or complex electronic systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design prevents unintentional dosing, achieves optimal pulverization of medicament particles, and ensures consistent and effective delivery of medication to the lungs, reducing residue in the upper respiratory tract.
Implementation Method 1
a deagglomerator arrangement with a tangentially directed air flow in a vortex chamber to enhance pulverization
Implementation Method 2
the device is based on centripetal force for achieving a more effective pulverization of the powdered inhalation medicament
Implementation Method 3
whereupon a unit dose will fall by gravity from the dosing recess into the inhalation channel
Data Source
AI summary
A powder inhaler includes a container for storing powdered medicament. A metering member has a dosing recess and is moveable between a filling position in which the dosing recess is in alignment with an opening of the container, and an inhalation position in which it is in alignment with an inhalation channel. A mouthpiece is in communication with the inhalation channel for enabling inhalation of the dose of powdered medicament when in the inhalation position. A protective member provided between the metering member and the inhalation channel is moveable between a closed position in which the protective member covers the dosing recess, thereby preventing powdered medicament contained in the dosing recess from entering the inhalation channel, and an open position in which the protective member does not cover the dosing recess, thereby exposing the dosing recess to the inhalation channel for enabling inhalation of the dose of the powdered medicament.